Meditation is not about getting away from it all. It's about getting into it all.

To see nothing is to perceive the Way, and to understand nothing is to know the Dharma.

The force of the kindness of others is so strong, we can't possibly measure it.

The things that matter most in our lives are not fantastic or grand. They are the moments when we touch one another.

Drop by drop is the water pot filled. Likewise, the wise man, gathering it little by little, fills himself with good.

Every moment of confusion is also a moment of wisdom, if we can learn to recognize it.

The cultivation of loving-kindness has the power to transform enmity into amity, hostility into hospitality.

Our practice cannot be perfect, but without being discouraged by this, we should continue it. This is the secret of practice.

Whatever precious jewel there is in the heavenly worlds, there is nothing comparable to one who is awakened.

Forgiveness is not a moral issue. It's a power issue. When we hold onto grievance and resentment, we are giving our power away.

The more you suffer the deeper grows your character, and with the deepening of your character you read the more penetratingly into the secrets of life.

The essence of the teaching is emptiness and compassion. Without emptiness, compassion can become attachment. Without compassion, emptiness can become cold and distant.

Breathing in, there is only the present moment. Breathing out, it is a wonderful moment.

Wisdom arises when you see the true characteristics of phenomena through direct experience.

The only things that are truly mine are my actions and their results.

Time passes unhindered. When we make mistakes, we cannot turn the clock back and try again. All we can do is use the present well.

The difference between misery and happiness depends on what we do with our attention.

You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.

Wisdom is not something we have to strive to acquire. Rather, wisdom arises naturally as we open our hearts to the truth of what is.

The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.

The practice of mindfulness is the practice of being alive in the present moment.

To live is enough.

Faith is the firm foundation, diligence the supporting pillar, and wisdom the roof of the house of practice.

If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.

Zen does not confuse spirituality with thinking about God while one is peeling potatoes. Zen spirituality is just to peel the potatoes.

The more you are motivated by love, the more fearless and free your actions will be.

Karma is not fate but the law of moral causation, showing us that we are the architects of our own destiny.

The practitioner and practice are like fire and wood. The more you practice, the more you burn.

If you want to know the past, look at the present. If you want to know the future, look at the present.

The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.

Rejoicing in ordinary things is not sentimental or trite. It actually takes guts.

Although all phenomena are empty of inherent existence, they function perfectly well.

Fear keeps us focused on the past or worried about the future. If we can acknowledge our fear, we can realize that right now we are okay.